Alexander awoke with a frustrated growl. It was late afternoon, he was sweating, and he was pissed as hell.

How could she deny him? Even if she didn't have her memories, couldn't she feel the pull? Didn't she feel the emptiness? "Damn it, Anna!" he snarled angrily, wishing she could hear and feel his rage. He imagined grabbing her struggling body, throwing her over his knee and poundin g her cute backside until it showed red marks from his hand. The fantasy played out in his mind; her sweet voice mewled pleading. Gasping, she begged him to sto p and promised not to disobey him again. His strange eyes glowed at the thought of holding her soft body close and safe in his arms. God he ached for her! The thought made him growl with even more irritation. He was a fucking Ancient O ne! He'd just reclaimed his kingdom, and most of the vampire world was walking o n egg shells around him. Despite that, HIS fucking little one, the only vampire he'd ever made, completely defies him. He decided he was going to do much more t han just paddle her ass when he finally got her home! The sound of his door opening startled him out of his reverie. He bared his fang s and made ready to blow something up in the proximity of the hapless intruder. The rational part in his mind told him he was being childish and throwing a temp er tantrum like a two-year-old, but he stubbornly decided to ignore reason. He w as pissed and he wanted to make someone squirm, even if it was just one of his s ervants. "Don't you fucking dare," Darian's voice called from behind the door. DAMN IT! Was fate out to torture him? "Learn to knock, dumbass," Alexander grumbled. He really just needed to destroy something. He'd feel much better. "I see things didn't go well," Darian commented mildly as he walked in without a n invitation. "I see you still don't have manners." His friend chuckled and did a ridiculous, sweeping bow swishing his hand with al l the pomp and circumstance of a frilly seventeenth century courtier. "And does this suit you more, Ancient One?" he laughed. Alexander barely held his tongue. Darian had no sense of appropriate timing, or perhaps he just didn't give a shit. After knowing him for nearly 1200 years, Ale xander figured it was the latter. "So," Darian said flopping on one of the plush chairs in front of an elegant fir eplace, "what did our little Anna have to say?" "What didn't she say?" he said as he began to pace once again. "First she came i nto the dream sobbing. Then she didn't want me to touch her. Then she looked at me in fear like I might hurt her!" "Fancy that," Darian mused, "she really doesn't remember you at all." He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You came up with that hypothesis all by yourse

lf? I'm impressed." "Testy aren't we?" Alexander growled. "I mean really," Darian continued brightly, his voice taking on that irritating mocking tone that was usually amusing. There were times when the flippant ways of his best friend drove him insane, and this was definitely one of them. He'd pissed off and irritated more people and Alexander and Kieran had stood by chuckling hysterically at his antics. Alexande r wasn't chuckling today, since he wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle him, lau gh, or blow the house up. "If I was a newly made Little One who'd woken up abandoned and covered in blood in a deserted mansion, I'd trust vampires. Then as I just begin to understand th at I was dream walking, and meet a really pissed off, powerful Ancient One in my dreams, I'd want him all over me. Fuck. I'd want to believe everything the afor ementioned, irritable stick in the mud told me, and then do EXACTLY what he said ." He smiled brightly, his silver eyes glinting with laughter. "Do you have any clue how absolutely annoying you are?" Alexander snapped peevis hly. "It's part of my charm," he replied with an outrageous wink. He sighed and sat across from his friend in the other chair wearily burying his head in his hands feeling as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders . For a moment, he felt every single day of his twenty-five centuries. He'd neve r struggled so much to keep his emotions contained. "She chose that scoundrel, Mara over me," he said his voice thick with emotion. "She said that Mara had been her life, and she couldn't abandon her." He buried his head back in his hands. "And I was an idiot. I didn't realize how much she'd bonded with the woman and I just said that she'd have to go to trial for her ac tions with Paola." "If it's any consolation, we don't usually act our best when we're in our dreams ," Darian said comfortingly. "Well, I was definitely an idiot. I forced her to make a choice and she chose Ma ra." He stifled the rage and the pain as he thought about her words again. She'd chos en Mara over him. "She didn't choose Mara over you," Darian said. "She chose to remain loyal to a friend in need. I would think that was a concept you'd find easy to understand. It's something I think you'd do in her place." The silver-haired vampire's eyes glinted like platinum reflecting the sunlight. Alexander could feel him reaching out with his elusive power, seeking answers in the subconscious thoughts of the world around him, sensing the shadowy claws of the future reaching back towards him. He couldn't understand the power of a dre am walker. It wasn't his gift. Over the years, he'd grown attuned to how it felt when Darian used his magic; with his telekinetic abilities he could feel the vi brations in the air of power. Yet in all his years he'd found that the magic of the dream walker was the one power he couldn't contain.

"You know," Darian went on to say. "There is a reason why I'm out of my bed in t he afternoon and bugging you." "I thought you just loved my company," he replied. "Not this afternoon. You're being a total prick actually." "Thanks." Darian shrugged. "I had a dream. I can't be sure because Anna is extremely diffi cult for me to read, but I think she's in danger, as is her friend." "I know." Darian threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "Some days I wonder why I b other with you, Alexander." "Countess Maria Ann?" he replied smiling a little teasingly. Darian grinned. "Yeah, she was worth it. There's always a woman, isn't there?" "I'll give anything for this one; anything and everything if I have to, Darian." He sighed. "Fine." Alexander watched as his silver eyes grew distant and the vibration of his power unsettled the air. For a long time, Darian was silent. His brow broke out in a sweat, and he began to breathe deeply. Alexander knew that he was getting to the edges of his range. Dream walking had limits; and even someone as powerful as D arian usually couldn't do much over long distances. If that had been the case, t hey would have been able to find him in that vault, and he would have never met his Anna. Finally, Darian came back, his chest heaving and his face slicked with sweat. Wordlessly, Alexander rose and poured him a glass of ice water and a gla ss of brandy. He smiled as Darian downed the brandy in one chug and then sipped the water. "I still can't get anything," he admitted. "It's much better in my dreams than m y conscious efforts. All I get from Anna is feelings anyway. I can tell you she' s upset, and determined to do something. Paola..." he shuddered and held his gla ss out for more brandy. Wordlessly, Alexander filled the glass again. "Paola is close. Maybe only a few hours behind them," he mused. "His presence is like a black hole and is much easier to sense than the girls'." "So once again I'm helpless? I can't get to her fast enough to save her life?" Alexander rose and began to pace in agitation once again. Just like the last tim e. His Anna was close and yet just out of his reach. He could mentally feel her pain, her fear, her sadness, but he was powerless to help her. The most powerful vampire in the world, but distance castrated his power. It was more than he cou ld bear. "God damn it!" he screamed in frustration shattering the mirror, vases and price less trinkets on his expensive mantle in a fit of rage. "Easy, brother," said Moiree soothingly. "We'll find her."

"That's what you said last time," Alexander lamented. "I was seconds too late. I was too late." Darain smiled grimly. "No. You weren't. You just thought you were too late." "Your powers are useless when it comes to her," he ranted. "The most powerful dr eam walker I know and you can't sense my Anna. The one time I desperately need y our power...," he growled again in anger. "You're going to be pissed at yourself for being so destructive," Darian chided. "That vase was at least 500 years old and priceless." Alexander nodded. He was losing it. He was finally going off the deep end. It ha d only taken 2500 years. No big deal. Let Kieran run the country, lock him in so me padded vault, feed him some blood occasionally... "Oh shut the fuck up," Darian growled at his thoughts. "Since when have you quit being the mature one among us? Since when have you turned into a useless whelp? Two centuries ago, you would have been on your horse using your mind and your p ower to hunt her and NOTHING would have stopped you! Get over the guilt, get ove r the grief and get off your ass, Alexander. Let's go! We WILL find her." Alexander stared at his friend. He was right. He'd never been like this before. It was time to act. It was time to find Anna. "I am starting to feel her presence on the edges of my perception," he said. "Sh e's coming here, or at least she's coming to the city. If you're right, and Paol a is just behind her, we've got to get to her tonight." Darian grinned. "There's my old friend." Alexander grinned back darkly baring his fangs. "It's time to join the hunt." ******************** "So how did your dream walking go yesterday?" Mara asked. Angel stared out the window watching the blur of the trees as the car raced by. "I saw Paola." Mara nodded and Angel could see the slight shudder, though her friend tried to h ide it. "He's still after us?" She nodded. "But that's not what I saw. I saw what he did to a family. I saw..." she broke off finding her eyes filling with tears as she relived that horrible moment. "Angel," Mara began to say, "you haven't seen what wicked vampires are like. Som e of our people are just sick, you know? We live forever, we feed on blood and t he lives of humans seem pointless and short. Paola lost his regard for life long ago. I think the only thing that makes him happy is to see others suffer as muc h as he does." "I don't feel any pity for him," she sniffed. "Nor do I," Mara agreed. "But you need to understand it and you need to keep awa y from it if you have any intention of lasting long, that is."

"You saw a lot of shit, didn't you?" Mara was silent for a long time. "Yeah," she finally said in a low voice. "And I see it every night in my dreams." "I'm sorry." "Me too." They drove for a while in silence as Angel stared out the window again. They'd m ake it to New York tonight and part of her ached to seek out the blonde vampire who claimed to be her lover and her creator. She felt an undeniable pull towards him, as though a part of her soul was missing, and the closer they drove toward s the city, the stronger it got. She sighed heavily. "You okay?" Mara asked. "I guess so," she admitted. "I saw the blonde vampire again, and I talked to him ." "No tales of steamy sex to entertain me with tonight?" Angel shook her head. "What did he say to you?" "He told me that he was my creator." "Yeah? So why did he abandon you in that prison cell then?" "He said he thought I was dead. He thought he'd tried to turn me too late. He sa id we were lovers," she blushed as she recalled the intense dreams she'd been ha ving before she really knew what was happening. She shuddered as she imagined his sensual mouth devouring her flesh, wrapped aro und one of her pink nipples and suckling. His strong hands splayed across her st omach, stroking her thighs, running through her dark hair. For a moment, she los t herself to fantasy. His golden head was working its way down her chest, his to ngue lapping teasingly at her navel causing her body to shudder. His hands strok ed that tender spot right above her hip making her jump as his mouth caressed it s way down to her folds. God! She could lose it just looking at him; his jade ey es shining with the fire of arousal, his lips inches away from her sex, his stro ng hands holding her down as she moaned and begged him to do something, anything . She shuddered as she imagined his mouth latching onto her, his tongue licking her folds, feasting expertly upon her, driving her insane. Oh God! How could she have said no to that? "Angel?" Mara interrupted. She squirmed, uncomfortably aroused now. "You should have fucked first, then asked questions," her friend teased. "Yeah," Angel agreed, "stupid me." "So I was right," Mara mused. "Not bad for a twenty-year-old vampire vagabond." She looked over at her friend again, catching that strange shrewd glance she'd b een starting to notice.

"You know," she said, "there are times when I don't believe the vagabond shit. I don't think you were always like this. I think you were something pretty smart, resourceful and important before you were turned." "Who we were before we turned is worthless, Angel," Mara spat. "You will find th at in our world, it means nothing. You could have been the wealthiest woman in t he world, but as a new vampire you're simply a toy for the older ones; something to hurt, control and use." "So what? Maybe Paola used you, hurt you, and made but you have a choice now. You can choose to make You weren't like this before you were a vampire, I meone who was used to being in charge, someone who "That person is dead." "Only because you choose it," Angel retorted. "Well, it's my choice." Angel was quiet. It was the closest to an argument she'd ever gotten with Mara. She knew there was something more to her friend. Her ability to break into place s that would daunt most experienced thieves was a unique talent. Then there was the fact that she knew the street value and had the connections in the Black Mar ket to unload most of the high profile contraband she'd stolen from the mansion. All those skills seemed to indicate that she wasn't just some homeless street r at. She wanted to growl in frustration. The moment anyone mentioned Paola, Mara turned into some whimpering wretch, but when it was just them, on the run, she w as something much different. How she wished Mara could become the person she'd l ost. Angel turned to look at her thoughtfully. She was so much more beautiful than sh e'd originally thought when they'd met. The first time she'd seen her, she was f ilthy, her hair unwashed, her face had the look of a bum; weathered and drawn. B ut since Mara had pulled her from the darkness, she'd begun to change. She'd got ten her hair cut and styled in the "hip" layered look that was in. Angel had for ced her to put on some makeup, too, and with the improvement of clothes, the cha nge in her physical appearance was shocking. Mara was gorgeous. A man could lose his mind in her large puppy dog eyes. Her sleek body was athletic, strong, and those shoulders that had seemed too broad before were incredibly sexy in the sty lish tops she'd bought. Then there was the change in personality. Where she was once timid, indecisive a nd wary, Mara was getting bolder. A couple of times, Angel had stumbled into som e tough situations as was normal for a newly changed Little One. Mara had backed her up and had stood her ground when Angel knew only a month or two ago, she wo uld have chosen to flee. Now she walked with the slinky stride of something bold and dangerous, and it got her wondering exactly what Mara had been before she w as turned. It was as though helping her had begun a second metamorphosis of the almost shat tered woman. In her mind, Angel saw a cocoon and inside the writhing Mara, strug gling against the binds to change and re-emerge into a beautiful and powerful cr eature. Part of the cocoon had fallen away to reveal glimpses of the creature's potential, but she wasn't ready to emerge yet. It was as though all the torture and evil of Paola's wickedness was still holding her chained in a prison of her own fear. They didn't have much time, though. Mara needed to stop fighting the c hange and soon; Paola was coming, and she couldn't hide anymore. you do things with his power, something of yourself again. can tell. I think you were so had special talents."

"So what else did your creator have to say?" Mara asked after a while. Angel shrugged. "He told his name, but it didn't help me get my memory back. I t hink I must have known his true name at one point. I don't ever remember calling him Alexander." Mara slammed on the brakes sending the tires squealing and the SUV fishtailing o nce again. "Damn it!" Angel screamed half in terror and half in anger. "Will you fucking qu it it with the slamming on the brakes crap every time you're surprised? Even tho ugh vampires are a little tougher to kill, I really don't want to get crunched i n a car tonight!" Mara stared over at her, those liquid brown eyes wide in amazement. "Blond hair, jade eyes, seemed pretty rich and his name is Alexander?" "Yeah," Angel replied rubbing her elbow that had jammed in the door. "Wavy blond hair, right?" Angel nodded "Built like a runner, not too bulky, nose looks a little Grecian?" "Yeah..." "Fuck." "What now?" She was getting exasperated. She hated not knowing what the hell was going on. "Angel, I think your creator is the Ancient One." She froze. He seemed wealthy, and used to being in control and in power. His hou se was more than opulent... could he really be the Ancient One? "It all makes sense," Mara continued. "You were in his mansion. He'd been missin g for some time; rumor was he put down a coup. Even though you were bloody, you were in designer clothes, and you're unbelievably powerful for one so young." Ma ra shook her head. "Fuck. We're in trouble kiddo. We need to take you to him. I' m not keeping the Ancient One's Little One away from him." Angel didn't say anything, and Mara pulled the car back on the highway. "The Ancient One lives outside of New York in one of those billion dollar estate s. That's one of the reasons I wanted to come to the city; I figured Paola would n't want to show his sorry ass around in the city right under the Ancient One's nose. We'll drop you off at his house and see if you are his Little One." Mara n odded to herself. "Yeah. That would probably be best. We'll inquire where he is when we get to town and take you there before the sun rises." "We can't," Angel whispered. "Shit. I'm in so much fucking trouble," Mara mused. "Maybe this will buy me a li ttle grace." "Mara, we can't go there," Angel said a little louder. "Oh yes we can," Mara replied. "I'm not going to defy the Ancient One."

"It's too late," Angel replied. "I already did." Mara slammed on the brakes again sending the car skidding once again to the side of the road. "GOD DAMN IT!" Angel screamed. "If you can't control your foot, get the fuck out from behind the wheel," she snapped. Mara stared at Angel. "What do you mean you already defied the Ancient One?" "He already asked me to go to him, but I told him I wouldn't." "Why not? He's your creator. He's in love with you. He might be able to restore your memory." "I know. He told me he could." She sighed and looked away for a moment. "I'm not going to him. At least not now. I have something I need to do." "Oh yeah? What's that?" "I'm going to help you kill Paola." For a moment, Mara just stared at her in open mouthed amazement. The she started to laugh hysterically. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. We're taking you to him. It might buy me the reprieve I'm looking for."

"We can't go to him. He's going to put you on trial if you do." Mara froze. "Fine, then I'll run and you'll go to him on your own." "No." "Angel," Mara said, her voice growing a little hysterical. "You've just defied t he Ancient One. Do you know what you've done?" She looked straight at her friend. "Yeah. I know exactly what I've done. It hurt s every second I think about it. I'm connected to him somehow. I can feel how an gry he is at me, how worried he is." She stared at her friend insistently. "But Mara, I believe in fate. I know there is a reason why you plucked me from death' s door in an abandoned mansion; you of all people. I think it's because it's tim e to quit running, it's time to fight back against Paola." Mara didn't say anything. "I've never had a sister, and I lost my mom when I was in college," Angel contin ued. "You've been both for me. You resurrected me from the darkness; maybe it's my turn to help you. All I know is that if I go back to Alexander now, I'm aband oning the best friend I've ever had to be hunted by a psychotic serial killer." "There's no way you can fight Paola," Mara said. "The minute he touches you, you 're under his control." "Then I'm not going to let him touch me." "You're an idiot, Angel." She smiled. "Yeah. But I'm an idiot who's in your corner."

Mara chuckled. "I think I'd rather run." Angel stared into her eyes. "It's time to stop running." "He's going to kill us both." "I'm willing to die for you, Mara." "Well I'm not willing to let you die," she snapped. "You're like the kid sister I never had. You're still just a Little One. I'm not going to let you get hurt. We're taking you to see Alexander, right now." Angel grabbed Mara's hand off the wheel and stared at her seriously. "I won't go. I'm not leaving you. End of story. So the choice is yours. Do we ru n or do we fight back?" "We need to run. I need to run. He's more powerful than you can imagine, Angel." She sighed. "Fine. I'll run with you. But we're going to make a pact right now." "About what?" "We are sisters. We will always be there for each other when we are in need, ove r the centuries we will never forget. I know sharing of blood means a lot among our kind," She bit into her palm drawing her own blood and then held her hand ou t to Mara. "We are sisters by our blood." For a moment, the brown-haired vampire stared at her and then bit into the palm of her own hand. They clasped firmly, and for the first time their blood mingled . Angel felt a shock of energy vibrate through her body, and looking at Mara's f ace and wide-eyed stare, she knew her friend felt the same. For a brief second, Angel felt Mara's mind, her spirit and her body as though it was merely a connec tion of her own. She could feel her fears, but also the hope and the love of the ir bond. "My name was Natalie, Natalie Latham," Mara whispered. "Mine was Elianna Kennan, but everyone called me Anna." With the revealing of names, Angel felt another shock of recognition race throug h her body. She had a piece of Mara's blood and a piece of her soul, and now Mar a had hers, too. A knock on the window startled them both out of the moment. A man was standing outside Mara's window, his car pulled up behind theirs. He ge stured for them to roll the window down. Angel could just tell by looking at him that he was a vampire, and she was sure that he could tell the same about them. She'd never actually met any vampires since she'd been turned other than Mara, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle it. Cautiously Mara cracked the window. "Hey," she said. "You ladies okay?" he asked, his voice smooth and musical ire. "Yeah," Mara replied. definitely another vamp

"I saw you hit your brakes and swerve off the road and drove by. Then I felt a l ittle guilty for just leaving you there if you were in trouble. I figured I'd co me back and check on you." "Thanks," Mara said. "We're okay. We were just talking." He smiled smoothly. "Two pretty ladies like you should be careful about being on the side of the road. Where are you headed?" Angel looked directly into his soft green eyes. She couldn't put her finger on i t, but there was something weird about him. Obviously, he knew they were vampire s and he didn't know how powerful they were. It could be just the opposite consi dering he was the one who was alone, but he was talking with them smoothly, as t hough he was more curious about them than he should be. "The city," Mara replied. "Ever been?" Angel nodded. "A while back," she admitted. "Me too," he said. "My name is Jay." Don't tell him your name, Angel thought desperately to Mara. Her friend stared at her in surprise and Angel stared back just as shocked. Had she heard? "Nice to meet you, Jay," she replied. "Well, thanks for your concern." "You mean you're not going to give me your names?" he said with a pout. "Here I come to rescue two women, find they're vampires like me and the most gorgeous wo men I've ever seen. Throw me a bone here, girls!" Angel smiled. "Not tonight, pup. Thanks for being our knight in shining armor, t hough. Maybe we'll see you around." He looked right back at her seriously. "Maybe you will, gorgeous," he replied. With that, he turned to his car and pulled out again. "Look at the car, color and license with me," Mara said. "We'll need to keep it in mind. Letting him pull out in front of us gives him the opportunity to pull o ff, hide and lie in wait us to follow us." "You got a weird vibe, too?" Mara nodded. "Something's happening. He was looking for us." Angel nodded. "Paola?" Mara shook her head. "Paola does his own work and keeps his minions within arm's reach; literally. A psychic can't control you unless he has physical contact." "So what was that?" Mara smiled a little grimly. "I don't know. My guess is that Alexander doesn't t ake no for an answer, even if you are his beloved and his Little One."

"He moved that fast?" Mara nodded. "Welcome to our world, Angel." "So now what do we do?" "We make for the city, ditch the car, and get the fuck out of there." Angel nodded. "You're my sister. I'll follow you." I just don't know if I'm worth following. Angel stared at Mara strangely and Mara looked at her with shock right back. "You heard that?" Angel nodded. "And you're wrong. You're worth following." ********************* "Ancient Ones," Kieran said bowing to Darian and Alexander as they entered the s ecurity room. Everyone in the chamber rose at once and bowed. "Continue," Alexander said to them with a wave of his hand. Kieran stared at him with irritation. Sometimes Alexander could be a pompous ass hole. He heard Darian chuckle and he smiled at his mentor a little. Alexander ha d been too distracted to pick up the snide thought. What's going on? He asked Darian silently. Have we sighted Anna? Alexander interrupted. Not yet. I can feel she's getting closer. I'm pretty sure she's coming to New York, he sa id. Then it will only be a matter of time. We have something else, Darian thought to him. Francisco Paola is hunting the gi rls as well. I'd like to hunt him. If he finds the girls before we can, they don 't stand a chance. I've seen his power in my dreams. I haven't seen a more power ful psychic in a long time. Kieran nodded. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said aloud. "I've got another person to search. We be lieve he is following our other two targets. This one you might have heard of: F rancisco Paola." There was a slight murmur throughout the room. Everyone knew about him. He was w icked and dangerous. "We will seek him, but if we find him, plan on using lethal force." Kieran smile d a little wickedly. "That fucker doesn't deserve the right to trial." There was another slight murmur through the room.

Kieran turned to the head of intelligence. "I am going to put several teams on t he ground throughout the city. If anyone spots Paola, you are to deliver his loc ation to the teams and they will eliminate him. The women are to be unharmed. Th is is as much to protect them as it is to get rid of Paola." The vampire looked from Kieran to Alexander to Darian. "Forgive me Ancient Ones," he said bowing to all three. "I do not mean to pry, b ut the question is going around and I don't have an answer for my people. Who ar e these women we are following, and why?" Alexander stared at the people staring into computer screens filtering through e lectronic data, viewing highway cameras. They were diligent, searching, and inte nse. He sighed. It was going to leak out anyway, so it might as well be from his mouth with his words. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said to them. "I know you are working hard, and often times it comes with little thanks from me and the world. The nature of your job is to remain secret, and so I will entrust you with one before it becomes common knowledge to the rest of our world. The woman with the black hair is called Ang el. She was once a human, thrown in a vault built to withstand a nuclear missile to die alongside me. Instead, she was my angel of delivery, and through her mem ory and brilliance was able to crack the security code that had locked me away d espite my incredible power. She fled with me across the country to Minnesota whe re I'm sure you know I dispelled the coup led by Kaiden Rice." The room was dead silent. Alexander LeGaulle was addressing them. He was entrust ing them with a story and a secret that no one else had heard. "During that journey, I found that my angel of deliverance was also my true mate . After twenty-five centuries, I had found her at last, but Angel was a casualty of war. Brutalized, shot, beaten, I found her bleeding body moments after she'd taken her last breaths. Brokenly I fed her my life, but in three days, she had not turned. So, I returned to my rule, leaving her to rest with my heart in the basement of my home, knowing I'd lost my mate and was doomed to live without her for the rest of eternity. That was until two nights ago, when the video Kieran showed you ended up on my desk." "I do not believe that Angel has completely gained her memory. Her turning was m ost likely violent and prolonged. The woman who accompanies her is called Mara; and she was the unwilling creation of Paola, who is now hunting them both." He looked imploringly at the assembly. "I need your help. I need you to bring my Little One home safely to me. Protect her from Paola, and find her before he does. Please. I can't bear to lose her tw ice." The vampires were dead silent for a moment, but then they all stood and bowed to him. Then they turned back to their computers and the room was filled with thei r intense voices, the clicks of their fingers on keyboards and the large GPS scr eens on the walls flickered quickly as they sought to find and protect the Ancie nt One's lost mate. So what are we going to do? Kieran asked them. We're going to begin searching on our own, Darian replied. So...shall we gear up?

Darian grinned. I always love playing soldier. Let's go! ************* Jay pulled behind some trees and made sure his car was invisible from the road. Then he looked back at the pictures delivered to his cell phone the night before . Every vampire who was registered on the national grid had received the same te xt and picture messages: By command of the Ancient One. Look for these women. Do not detain, but maintain visual. Contact sending number immediately if you have any information. He'd thought the dark haired girl was fucking hot, but looking at her in the car almost made his knees weak. She was way more gorgeous in color. Those eyes were incredible! He made ready to dial the phone. He wondered if there was a reward for finding them and what the Ancient One wanted with them. Perhaps they were tr aitors that had escaped punishment. He hoped not. The girls were hot. As he pushed the numbers into his phone, it vibrated and another text from the s ame number hit his mailbox. Jay was beyond curious now. He opened the new text. Attached was a picture of a familiar specter; Francisco Paola followed by a message: Paola is following the other two targets. Protect them at all costs. Use lethal force against Paola if necessary. Contact if sighted at once. "Shit," Jay breathed. He dialed the number at once and listened to it ring. ******************* Alexander attached the weapons belt around his waist getting an eerie feeling of dj vu. Would he be too late again? God! How she'd suffered. It seemed so eerily s imilar; suiting up with Darian, Kieran and an elite team, knowing that she was c lose and yet out of reach, and another madman was involved. Now, they were ready for urban warfare, though. They dressed in the clothing to blend into the stree ts; jeans, shirts, weapons hidden beneath jackets and tucked into the waistline of their clothes. "You okay?" Darian asked. He nodded. "Feels the same as last time." "She's a vampire this time," Kieran reminded him, "and she's got your blood. She 's not nearly as delicate as she used to be." Alexander nodded. "I wish she'd gotten my gift. It would make her stronger." "She's strong enough. That girl is tougher than she looks," Kieran grunted. Alexander smiled. "Admit it, you ended up liking her just a little." He shrugged. "She's fighter. She'll be good for you." "Sir," said one of the vampires that had suited up with them, "the team is ready to hit the streets." "So are we," said Kieran.

They followed the team leader to a garage beneath the building where several bla ck cars with tinted windows awaited them. They were unobtrusive sedans, except t hey'd been revved up with special motors and technical equipment. Everything vam pires did had to be covert. They had to blend in, look normal, even though they were far from it. Alexander stared at the car that he, Kieran and Darian would share with another operative. It had a GPS system, computers, radio; everything one would expect in a high tech cop car. He sat in the front next to the driver. "Montasse..." he vaguely heard Kieran answer the phone. Instead, he closed his eyes. Anna, he called in his mind. Anna, he called again. He knew she could feel him, because he could feel her. "Alexander!" Kieran said. "They've been sighted!" He jumped and stared at Kieran who was listening to the caller on the phone. "Blue 4-Runner, North Dakota License 352-HGK," Kieran repeated. "They're heading towards the city. We have a civilian on the network following them on Highway 8 0. They're about 20 minutes outside the city." Alexander sighed in relief. They'd found her. She was 20 minutes away. The operative repeated the information on the radio to the other teams and then they pulled out of the garage. Alexander closed his eyes and sent one thought with all his strength. I'm coming for you, Little One. ********** Yeah, yeah, I know; no sex. But...isn't it getting exciting? I'm getting excited ! Your votes, comments and encouragement are what keep me going right now. I am so blessed to have such encouraging readers. ~Special Thanks~ This wouldn't have been submitted Sunday night (as I promised you) if MistressLy nn hadn't edited for me. She is awesome! -E